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Public elementary school · Alachua · Hawthorne, Florida

Chester Shell Elementary School

Chester Shell Elementary School rates 5.4, below most Alachua elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.0.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.4this school

5.4 on a one-to-ten scale; the Alachua median is 6.0.

#2,790 of 3,811 schools in Florida · Alachua: 29 elementary schools rated, median 6.0

The brief

An Alachua elementary school where students score 8 points below what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,790 of 3,811 schools in Florida and 31 of 55 in Alachua.

Chester Shell Elementary School is listed in Alachua, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math33%31 points below the Florida average of 64%Grades 3–5 · 118 students tested · 2026 FAST
Reading39%22 points below the Florida average of 61%Grades 3–5 · 118 students tested · 2026 FAST
Proficiency declined earlier in the 18-year record (2009–2026), then recovered 5 points since 2022, reaching 36% in 2026.2026 FAST; 46 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.3
50% of the rating
Academics
3.6
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
5.8
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 39% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 32640; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Chester Shell Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$58,727
Median home value
$153,600
Median rent
$959/mo
College educated
14.1%
Homeownership
84.3%
Poverty rate
16.6%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 32640; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
46
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
63
Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
84.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. Chester Shell Elementary Schoolthis school
    5.4
  2. 5.3Compare →
One grade-compatible school using the same rating model sits within 5 miles, and none rates higher than Chester Shell Elementary School.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Chester Shell Elementary School serve?

Chester Shell Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Chester Shell Elementary School?

Chester Shell Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 323 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Chester Shell Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Chester Shell Elementary School is 12.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Chester Shell Elementary School rank in FL?

Chester Shell Elementary School ranks #2,790 of 3,811 schools in FL.

What is Chester Shell Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Chester Shell Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.4 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Chester Shell Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Chester Shell Elementary School has 39% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is Chester Shell Elementary School a charter school?

No, Chester Shell Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Chester Shell Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Chester Shell Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Chester Shell Elementary School?

84.5% of students at Chester Shell Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
323
Student-teacher ratio
12.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
25
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Rural
County
Alachua County
Rank in district
#31 of 55
Schools in district
68
District spending per student
$11,075
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.4%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 32640)
10,780
Area average commute
34.2 min
Area median age
46.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.